How to Make Homemade Dog Treats

Make some tasty, homemade treats that your dog will love. You can even use these treats to help teach your dog a new trick!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• One 3.5-ounce jar of strained-meat baby food (no salt added), beef or veal recommended.
• 1/2 cup powdered skim milk
• 3/4 cup wheat germ

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Step 1: In a cold oven, move rack to top third of oven. Preheat to 275 degrees.

Step 2: Lightly grease a cookie sheet with butter or cooking oil (spray-on oil works well).

Step 3: Mix ingredients in a medium-size bowl.

Step 4: Scoop morsels out of the bowl with teaspoon-size measuring spoon. Fill the teaspoon evenly, not heaping.

Step 5: Drop morsels onto greased cookie sheet about one-half inch apart. (They don’t spread while cooking as regular cookies do.)

Step 6: Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, but watch carefully so the bottoms don’t get too brown.

Step 7: Remove from the oven and place pan on wire rack to cool. Makes approximately 45 doggie cookies.

MICROWAVE OVEN DIRECTIONS

Place a small number of morsels on waxed paper on a plate and cover with another plate turned upside down. Microwave on high 2 to 4 minutes,depending on power of microwave. Take top plate off as treats cool or they might get soggy. Let the treats cool completely.

STORAGE

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Put extras in plastic bags in the freezer for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.

TEACH YOUR DOG A NEW TRICK

Use your treats to teach your dog to spin around.

• Each training session for a new trick shouldn’t last much longer than five minutes. Try another five-minute session later in the day to refresh the dog’s memory.
• With both of you standing, face your dog.
• Hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose without letting him touch it.
• Have the dog follow the treat around in a tight circle. Go in the same direction each time.
• When the dog completes the circle, give it the treat and lots of praise.
• After some practice, hold the treat so the dog can see it and say, “Spin,” but don’t lead the dog around in a circle. If he starts to turn in a circle by himself, praise him verbally until the trick is finished and only then give the food reward.
• In a couple of days, your dog will spin as soon as you bring out the treat.